Bear defense

M

M1911

New member
Periodically, we get threads asking what's the appropriate gun to use for bear defense. Usually someone will say that black bears aren't dangerous. Just ran across this item on another bboard:

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Woman Killed by Bear in Tennessee
By Duncan Mansfield
Associated Press Writer
Monday, May 22, 2000; 1:37 p.m. EDT

GATLINBURG, Tenn. –– A woman waiting for her ex-husband on a trail at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was killed by a black bear.

Glenda Ann Bradley, 50, of Cosby was mauled Sunday, becoming the first person killed by a black bear in a federal park or reserve in the Southeast, park officials said. "This was simply an unprovoked attack," Phil Francis, the park's acting superintendent, said Monday.

Bradley, an experienced hiker, and Ralph Hill, 52, entered the park about noon. The couple, who had been reconciling, hiked about 10 miles from Gatlinburg. Hill told authorities he left Bradley on the trail to go fishing. He returned about an hour later to find her backpack on the trail and two black bears – an adult female and a yearling – at her body about 50 yards away. The 111-pound adult bear apparently killed the woman.

Two rangers shot and killed the animals. Rangers had tagged the adult bear in 1998 and had placed an orphaned cub with her. Miller said the animal wasn't known as a problem bear.
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Dunno if she got between the mother and cub, or what. Perhaps she could have avoided the attack if she knew more about bears.

Nevertheless, even small black bears can be dangerous.

Jared
 
Only half the bear attacks in the United States are black bears, yet black bears are FAR AND AWAY more prevalent than grizzly or brownies. Something to the tune of 1:4? So it is clear that blackies are a good deal less aggressive, especially when one considers that black bears are more likely to be in areas more frequented by human beings than are brownies and grizzlies.

Of interest was the comment: "The couple, who had been reconciling, hiked about 10 miles from Gatlinburg."

Hmmmmm.... one wonders...

Ah, I'm sure the ME checked the claws of the animals for tissue samples. That would be hard to fake...

Just suspicious at times...
 
Spook a brown bear, bad ju ju.

Spook a black bear, bad ju ju.

Either tpe of bear, with cubs, really bad ju ju.

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They say that in terms of predatory attacks, black bears are far more likely than brown bears to stalk humans for food. Something to think about if you notice one dogging your trail.
 
Anecdote time.

Use my late Uncle Bud. When I was a kid we went to Yosemite with Uncle Bud. He was a rancher, 6'5" and about 350 lbs. We came upon some cubs up a tree. Like idiots we went to see them. MY folks were leery but Uncle Bud said it was OK.

As we approached the tree, Mama bear came a-runnin. She was in a full charge when U.B. yelled at her. He said "Gawddammit, you just SHUT UP!" She stopped in her tracks. He waved his hat at her and yelled (all he did was yell all the time anyway so he had practice) "We ain't gonna hurt yore babies, Gawdammit!" So just SHUT UP! He then walked CLOSER to the cubs and took a good long look and then just ambled away. The bear waited until he had gone abt. 40 yds before approaching her cubs.

It happened. Not smart. But I bet in a fight, he wudda beat her.
 
I have commented before that it is far more important for a story be well crafted than to be accurate. Lavan, this is a well-crafted anecdote!
 
I had never seen a bear in the wild before two week-ends ago when I was up with a church youth group camping in the hills around Miami, Arizona.

Around dusk some shouted out that there was a bear and to come see. Of course all of the boys immediately took off running. The fathers shouting behind to keep their distance.

I grabbed my fanny pack, strapped it on and took off after them.

A cub had wandered within 100 yards of our camp (this was an established park, so there were many campers within the area). We managed to reign the boys in at about 50 yards (still too close for my comfort), and watch as this bear snuffled about and then finally ran off into the woods.

There was some speculation on where the mother would be, or even if this small bear had a mother about, when we heard another shout announcing another bear.

Fortunately not many heard that one, but I ran over to make sure that those who did kept back, WAY BACK.

This one was twice the size as the first, and about 100 yards away. It could have been the mama. When it looked directly at me, I knew it was time to walk away.

I believe I was the only one in the camp who was armed, but I have no idea how well 15 shots of 9mm would have stopped a charging mother bear. I suspect, not well at all.

BTW, that first bear was found when it came down a tree next to the one that one of the boys was peeing against.

Major pucker factor!

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John/az
"When freedom is at stake, your silence is not golden, it's yellow..." RKBA!
www.cphv.com
 
Several years ago when camping was an every weekend thing I got to see a black bear cub and a month or so later a full grown black. The full-grown was estimated to be 300 to 350 lbs. The funny part is while I was out camping the police and animal control followed a black bear through town until it was back in the woods and on it’s way. While following it went right by my bedroom window.
 
The bad thing is the park's "NO FIREARMS ALLOWED" policy. I'm going up there hiking today, maybe my p-32 will go to.
oh yea the radio here said she had not provoked the bear or came between the bear and her cub.
 
We had a bear incident a few years ago while I was a junior warden at Yellowstone:

A couple of tourists, one from Germany and one from the Czech Republic, were attacked and eaten by a pair of grizzlies, one male and one female. My supervisor and I went out after them.

We tracked one down and shot it; it turned out to be the female. When we opened her up, we found the remains of the German. Upon seeing the remains, my supervisor asked me if I knew what it meant. I said "no, what?"

"The Czech is in the male."
 
Why Artie McAulley will never visit the American Colony again.


Young Artie, half step nephew in law of Enus McAnus III, during summer hollidays, took the oppurnity to visit with kin in the State of Utah, Colony of America. After the grueling grind of the studies at the University of Edinburg, a respite from the flatland fillys would be welcome.

Artie stayed with remote cousin Mordaci McMerkle and his wee tribe just abaft o the tiny town of Clear Creek. The town was in a National forrest and at an elevation of well over a mile. Game abounded, the air was so clear that one could not see what they were breathin and the altitude did wonders to the brain when augmented with a wee drap o single malt.

Artie took to takin lang walks in the forrest, armed with camera, assorted lenses, lunch, monocular, sketch pad, thumpin stick, and the many other accuterments attendant to bein a tourist. Mordaci gave Artie a pair of military style trousers with the many and voluminous pockets. Artie bein a slim lad; encountered problems keepin the trousers up, especialy toward the end o the dy when the pockets were loaded with rocks, cones and other pretties. Holdin em up with a belt was not the answer due to the chaffing on his hips from the weight. The answer seemed to be a pair o industrial strength braces ( suspenders ) obtained from a building supply merchant.

The time flew and the days were glorious and rife with new and wonderous experiences till the suspenders literly let Artie down and cost him a bundle o money.

It seems that the call of nature struck, Artie flipped the fronts off o the suspenders and hunkered over a down log to deficate in the woods. Along came a black bear, Artie jumped up, the suspenders had a double problem, first they were firmly hooked to a branch on the ground and secondly they were under the new pile. The suspenders stretched mightely then released; slinging a great gob of fresh dung against the back of Arties head. The black bear observed this and understood, twas an older bear with a weak heart and it promptly died laughing. With uncanny timelyness, along came a Government Game Keeper who cited Artie for killin the bear out of season, in a National Forest, without a license etc. Verra expensive.

From then on Artie stays close ta his homeland and lets the bears do the ****tin in the woods.
 
RWK....I agree. But, well crafted or not, that story is true. May God take all my guns if it is not. I can remember it well. Early afternoon. Uncle Bud yellin at that bear and her stopping and just being confused about the whole mess. We were watching as we backed away. Uncle Bud just stood there yelling at her. About 1949 or so. No one had a camera until we got back to the car. Then someone took a picture of Uncle Bud. Great proof of the incident, huh?
 
John/az2

The rangers shot the bears with 9mm, it took 13 rounds to kill both bears. Dont worry 15 rounds of 9mm will kill a bear.
 
Just this past weekend in the town of Tullahoma,TN. A blackie was killed after wandering into city limits. Smokie MTNs-Tullahoma= approximately 150miles. You never know when you will happen up on something unexpected. Local news had pics of the blackie before it was dispatched.
 
Being that we will be canoing and camping in PA this weekend this subject is on my mind. Wife wants me to bring my gun (9mm), I'll probably bring bear spray.

However, something does seem fishy with the story.

"oh yea the radio here said she had not provoked the bear or came between the bear and her cub."

If she was killed, and hubby was some distance away, who witnessed the attack?

Things that make you go hmmmm...

:P


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Peace through superior firepower...
Keith

If the 2nd is antiquated, what will happen to the rest.
"the right to keep and bear arms."
 
Lavan,

It is a great story, and your Uncle Bud is the type of guy we have far too few of around today.

Here on earth or hereafter, I'd like to buy him a cold beer.

Best regards -- Roy
 
Lavan, that's a great story, but let me assure you, if that "Smokey," had decided to tangle with your uncle, he'd have torn him a new a$$hole."

I have killed two black bears, one being about 400 lbs, and the claws and teeth on that one are incredibly formidable. I have a rug, and the skull mounted. Black bears have unbelievable strength. Your uncle is one lucky dude.

I offer this advice to anyone here: do not take a chance with a black bear. If he/she comes for you, that bear is coming to kill you. FWIW. J.B.
 
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